Coil peeler



April 1951 H. A. BILLETTER EIAL 2,980,360

COIL PEELER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 23, 1957 INVENTOR T TEE HALTON A. BILLE ATTORNEY April 13, 1961 H. A. BlLLETTER EI'AL 2,980,360

' con. PEELER Filed Jan. 23, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HALTON A- BILLETTER WILLIAM h/- S TEVEIVS ATTOIQNEY April 18, 1961 Filed Jan. 23, 1957 H. A. BILLETTER EI'AL COIL PEELER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 1'

FIG. 6

INVENTOR HALro/v A. BILLETTER WILLIAM W. 51Ev-s ATTORNEY COIL PEELER Filed Jan. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 635,806

Claims. (Cl. 242-783) The present invention relates generally to metal strip processing equipment and more particularly to improved apparatus for opening the outer convolution and end of a coil of metal strip, such apparatus generally being known in the art as coil peelers.

It will be understood that a substantial portion of the :strip material produced in various steel plants is formed in coils to facilitate transportation from the point-of-manufacture or processing to the point of further processing. Atthe point at which such strip is to be further'processed it is necessary to unwind the coil in'order that it maybe passed into and fed through machines of one kind or another for further working of the material. In utilizing prior art apparatus difiicultyhasbeen experienced'in "starting-the outer end of the coil-into such processing "machines, especially if the strip-is 'ofany appreciable thickness,- since the outer convolution of the coil is extremely hard to break from the coil proper-for initial feeding into the machines.

This problem has been greatly accentuated=-by virtue of advances made in other artsy/hereby the speeds of strip processing lines have-been increased in recent years and 3 the timerequiredto feed a new coil into'the processing "line has become more-critical. This is particularly true "where continuous process lines are employed, as in electroplatingof strip material, or the electric welding of tube formed from strip material, for example; since the time consumed in-initially feeding a coil into the processline limits the speed of the Iineordictates the use of large and costly strip storage facilities, such as looping rolls "or loop'pits. Although thisproblem has been recognized in the prior art and attemptshave been made to-:provide suitable coil 'peelers, the need still exists for such-apparatus which-is operative tobreak the outer end of a strip of metal from a coil in a'minimum oftimeand yet not inter- -fere in'any manner with thenormal operation of the fprocessing apparatus. It is accordingly the primary or {ultimate object of-the present invention to provide an improved coil peelerwell adapted for use in freeing the outer end of a metal strip from a coil.

A further'object or" the invention is to'provide a coil "peeler wherein the same may be automatically retracted "*from engagement with the strip after the outer end of the "coil has been loosened and fed intomachines so that the fingersor Wedges are adjustable to engage coils of various 1 outer diameters and shapes. As willbe hereinafter more fully-explained, the fingers or wedges are adapted for an'sverse sliding movementwith respect to the pass'line t the strip material and are-rotatable or movable in a generally vertical direction with respectlthereto. I-In con- Enection with this object, it is an auxiliary-object of the invention to provide meansfor. movingand actuatingthe coil: peeler; in an. improved manner.

i-yetranother object otythe; invention isstog provide :a .coil

atent S contemplated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coil peeler which is characterized by its utmost simplicity in construction and operation. The construction is such that only a few and relatively simple parts are employed and it) one operator can easily and swiftly separate the end from a coil of strip material in a minimum of time.

' These objects, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become more readily apparent upon further consideration of the following complete specification with reference to the accompanying drawing.

:In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side sectional view of the beginning of an illustrative processing line embodying a coil peeler constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of a'portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 showing specifically the roller leveller and the coil peeler mounted thereon;

Figure 3 is a front elevation ofthe apparatus depicted in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side sectional view of the apparatusshown in Figure 3 taken along the section line IVIV;

I Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the section line VV of Figure 4; i

Figure 6 is an enlarged and fragmentary sectional view taken along the section line VIVI of Figure 4; and

--'Figure 7 is a side view of the apparatus shown in-Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawing, and initially to Figure 1 :thereof, there is shown in somewhat schematic fashion the beginning portion of a continuous process line for working or forming metal strip that embodies a coil peeler constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Coils of metal strip, designated by the refer- 49 ence numeral 10, areplaced on the far end of a conveyor --11, t-he bottom portion thereof being shown in broken lines,which is entrained about the sprockets 12 and supported by a suitable structural framewrok 13 above acoucrete base 14. Suitable driving means, not shown, are

provided for intermittently advancing the conveyor ;11

whereby coils supported thereon are advanced toward an -uneoiling station 15. The uncoiling station 15 includes a. power driven uncoiler of conventional construction having movably mounted opposed and transversely spaced frustro-conical coil-engaging heads 16 adapted to be inserted in-theopening or eye of the-coil at the uncoiling station. It willbeobserved that only the forward edge of one coilengaging head isshown in Figure 1- of the drawing. The co-pending patent application of Kenneth L. Bandy, Serial No. 429,239, filed May 12, 1954, which has since matured into US. Patent No. 2,800,288 and is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, shows a preferred type of uncoiler although itwill be understood that other types of uncoilers may be utilized.

Intermediate the transversely disposed coil-engaging heads 16 of the uncoiler is a coil saddle 17 which is adapted to initially support a coil of strip material. 'The coil saddle 17 is vertically adjustable by means -of a fluid cylinder 13 whereby the center opening or eye of the coil may be accurately aligned with the coil-engaging heads 16 irrespective of the outer diameter of the coil.

' When a coil has been properly positioned by the sad- .dle 17 and engaged by the uncoiler it is necessary to break or loosen the outer end of the strip from the coil so that this end may be fed into the various processing apparatus. This is accomplished in the present instahce gnbyourimprottedcoil peeler which is generally designated -shown, wherethe sheared leading' strip end is welded to,

the trailing end of another strip section to form a con- "tinuous length of m'etalstrip. .The strip may then be fed through any of ,a series of processing machines not shown, operative to work or process the strip in the manner desired The. arrangement shown in Figure l of the drawing maybe the beginning of an electricweld pipe mill or an electroplating-line, for example. The -di1 'ection of strip travel isshown by the arrow in the drawing;

Considering now the structure of the roller leveller 20 and the eoil peeler 19 associated therewith, reference is .made to Figures 2-4 of the drawing wherein there is shown a table-like support 24 whichmounts the'roller ;.leveller 20 and-coil-peeler-19 above the, base 14.; The ,roller levellercomprises a housing 25 which is ,open to acsoseo strip free for initial feeding into the roller leveller.

of the housing 25. The bottom portions of the I-beam like member 41 serve as guides for a pair of transversely spaced channel-shaped slides 42 each of which has a re stricted opening and carries a dependingmounting bracket 43. It will be readily observed that the channel-shaped slides 42 are adapted for transverse sliding movement on the I-beam-like member "41 in transverse relation with respect to the path of strip'travel.

Each of the mounting brackets 43 journals a shaft 45, seeQFigures 6 and 7, which protrudes inwardly-Le. toward the center of the pass line of the stripin the manner shown. Keyed to the protruding end portion of the shaft 45 'is a finger or wedge 46 having a pointed'end portion and a contoured upper surface 47 adapted at 'certain times andin a manner to be hereinafter more I fully described to break the outer end of acoil of metal It will be noted thatthe upper surface 47 of the finger 01 wedge 46 is arcuately contoured to'form a curved sur face which, in cooperation withthe variousrolls and strip guide's ofthe roller leveler, is operative to initially :allow the passage of strip material therethrough and supports a set of lower working rolls 26 which are jour- V 'naled at their opposite ends in said housing. 1 A set of upper working rolls 27 have their ends journaled in vertically movable? blocks 28, one set of blocks being pro- 'vided for'each ,of the upper working rolls, which are guided for vertical movement by slides, not specifically shown, in the housing 25. The upper workingrolls 27 are independently and vertically movable by 7, electric motors 29.acting through various gearing, n0t specifically designated, and rods 30; it being apparent that two rods 7 are associated with each roll. The lower and upper sets of working rolls 26 and 27, respectively, are horizontally ofiset from each other,-or staggered so that the working 'feed the end of the coiled metal strip into the roller leveller.

Mounted on the outward end of each of the mounting brackets 43 is a hydromotor 49 whose outputshaft 50 is drivingly coupled with the shaft 45 in such a'manner that upon energization of the hydromotor 49 the finger or wedge 46, which is keyed to the shaft 45, is caused to rotate. Hydromotors are wellknowu in the art, comprising in general fluid motors whose output shafts are limited to a predetermined degree of rotative movement. By utilizing such driving devices for rotating the wedges or fingers any movement thereof beyond a predetermined point is prohibited and the wedges or fingers can be mainrolls may nest thereby defining a sinuous path of strip travel. 7 .1 7 Journaledin the housing 27 at its ends is a transversely 1 extendingpinch roll 32 which is adapted to cooperate with a vertically movable pinch roll 33. The pinch roll 33 has itsends journaled in blocks 34 that'are rigidly attached to the lower ends of a .pair of rods 35 which in turn are connected to the pistons of a. pair of fluid cylinders 31; mounted onjtopof the housing 25. Between the pinchrolls'32and 33 and the lower and upper 'workingrolls 26 and 27 there are providedstrip guides 36 above and be low the path of strip travel, which serve to 7 guide the leading end of the coil of strip during initial threading operations; These strip guides injno way inter fere with the normal operation of the roller leveller as --isreadily apparent, 1 V j Positioned rearwardly'of the pinch rolls 32 and 33 im- Qmediately below the path of strip travel and journaled in the housing 25 is a guide roll 37. strip guiding plates -48-are positioned,intermediate-the guide roll 37 and the pinch rolls 32 and 33 for initially V guiding the free end of a coil of strip material.

For driving the, working and pinch rolls an. electric motor 38 is mounted on the table 24 to one side of the a housing 25. 'Therdn've shaft of the'motor38 is, operatively coupled with a plurality of wobbler' shafts 39 for driving these last mentioned rolls via suitable gearing contained in a gear box 40. The driving arrangement is such that the upper working rolls 27. and the upper pinch roll 33 can be'adjusted and moved in the vertical direchi0]? without breaking the driving connection for these re s. a

. form a mounting clevis and are attached to the outer end of the I-beam like member 41. The arrangement is such that upon proper actuation of the fluid cylinders 54 the fingers or wedges .46,may be moved transversely toward or away from thepath of strip travel.

. The apparatus of the present invention also incorporates means for retarding movement of the coils 10 to the coiling station when the same are being readied for uncoilingand further means to engage the outer convoluj tion of the coil whereby whenthe fingers 46 engage the Suitable angled end of the coil this convolution does not spring in a direction away from the roller leveller. This first mentioned means comprises a bumper cylinder 63 having an adjustable outlet valve which mounts on its piston rod a coil-engaging and pivotally mounted fixture 64. As

will be observed in Figure 1 of the drawing, the rear end of the bumper cylinder is. pivotally mounted on a support 65 and the arrangement is such that the bumper cylinder 63 forms in etfecta shock absorber to take 7 the impact of a coil 10 rolling into the uncoiling station -To prevent springing of the' outer convolution of the v Asevidencedin the drawing, .the housing 25 is pro vided with an integral-and rearwardly extending bracket 44 adjacent the'top edge thereof above the'path of strip a travel. Rigidly mounted from this bracket independing I relation therefrom is a generally I-beam-like'member 41 which is considerably elongated, being approximately Q twice as long asany of the rolls utilized in the roller leveller and extendingappreciable distances outwardly coil in the wrong direction a roller 56, shown in Figure 5 to be hollow and journaled on a shaft 57, but which may be driven by suitable. appaartus, not shown, is mounted between a pairof rearwardly directed and downwardly f angled arms 58. These arms are pivotally mounted at their forward ends between spaced brackets that the arms 58 and 60,ineifect, :a'bellcrank adapted to move the-roller into and out of eng'agement with a In operation of the .apparatus above described the driving mechanism for the conveyor 11 is energized to move a coil 14] toward the uncoiling station. As the coil moves-toward this station the fluid bumper cylinder 63 is actuated in such a manner that the forward movement and momentum of the coil is absorbed as the same rolls into the uncoiling station thereby preventing damage to any of the equipment. As the coil becomes seated on the saddle 17 the cylinder 18 is energized to center the eye of the coil with respect to theheads'of the uncoiler. The heads of the uncoiler are then moved toward each other to firmly and tightly grip the coil therebetween and cnter'the same with respect to the processing apparatus.

After the coil is ughuy' 'fipped and centered'the fluid cylinder 62 is properly''riefg'iid 'tobring the roller 56 into pressure engagement with the surface of the coil.

At' the same time the cylinders 54 are actuated whereby the fingers or wedges 46 are moved to a position directly above and adjacent the side edges of the coil. The positioning of the-wedges may'beconuolled byadjustable'= stops which limit inward movement of the fingers but yet are adjustable to accommodate coils of different widths. The hydromotors are now actuated to bring the pointed fingers into contact with the coil and it will be observed that the curvature along the bottom edges of these fingers is approximately the same as the curvature of coil to provide ample contact areas with the outer periphery of the coil. The control of the cylinders 54 and hydromotors 49 may be interconnected and arranged so that movement of one ofthe fingers will require a like movement of the other and that the fingers exert a predetermined pressure on the coil whereby these members will always engage it regardless of irregularities in its shape.

With the coil properly positioned and the fingers in engagement therewith, the uncoiler is energized to rotate the coil and it should be apparent that the sharp pointed portions of the fingers will separate the end of the coil from the coil proper. The roller 56 prevents the freed outer end from springing in a direction away from the roller leveller and as the uncoiler continues to rotate the coil the leading end of the strip is forced to ride over the arcnately contoured upper surfaces 47 of the fingers into the previously opened roller leveller. One of the most important aspects of the invention is that the upper surfaces of the fingers, in cooperation with guide roll 37, strip guiding plates 48, pinch rolls 32 and 33, strip guides 36 and the upper and lower sets of working rolls 27 and 26, form a confining or guiding means for the end section of the coil whereby the same cannot become entangled in the apparatus and the threading or initial feeding operation takes place in an automatic manner without stopping the uncoiler. When the end of the strip passes through the roller leveller the coil peeler is no longer needed and the fingers may be retracted to their original positions upon proper actuation of the fluid cylinders 54 and the hydromotors 49, it being observed that this operation also may be carried out without stopping or retarding the passage of strip through the roller leveller and the other machines in the process line. The roller 56 can also be retracted upon proper energization of the fluid cylinder 62 without interfering with the uncoiling operation.

The uncoiling operation then continues at the desired speed until the coil is nearly exhausted since the hook on the last convolution of the coil must be straightened. This hook is formed at the end of the strip by the apparatus originally winding the coil and it is usually undesirable to have this hook pass through the process equipment without at least some straightening. The guide r011 37 not only serves to guide the strip but also acts as ses After the coil is finally payed otlt the' uncoilin the manner explained above.

It should thus be apparent th'at we have accomplished the'objects initially set forth by providing an improved coil peeler of a type well adapted-for=utilization in a continuous process line. 'The stepsof-breaking the-end portion of the strip'from thecoil arid initially' feeding" the same through the processing machines 'may- -be carried out under the control of a single operator ina of time.

"Although we have shown and described a specificillustrated embodiment of the invention, it should be-understood many changes may be made therein -without departing from the inve'ntionand thatreference-to -the following appended claims should be had in ide'terrnining the true scope of the invention.

'We claim: 1. 'A coil peeler comprising a generally poihted fing'er,

means mounting said finger in vertically disposd rela- 'Ition with respect to a'coil to be unwound and the-pathof as" strip travel, drivingmeans operativelyicouple'd with safid finger for moving said finger transversely with respect to and into and from the projected vertical plane of the path of strip travel, power means operatively connected with said finger for moving said finger into engagement with a coil to be unwound when said finger is within the projected vertical plane of the path of strip travel, said mounting means comprising a bracket, a shaft journaled in said bracket, said finger being rigidly mounted on said shaft, said power means having an output shaft and being mounted on said bracket, and said output shaft being axially aligned and operatively coupled with said first mentioned shaft whereby upon energization of said power means said finger is caused to rotate.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that said mounting means comprises an elongated and transversely extending member, a slide slidingly mounted on said transversely extending member, said bracket being mounted from said slide, said driving means being drivingly connected to said bracket for moving said slide on said transversely extending member, said driving means comprising a fluid cylinder having a piston rod, said cylinder mounted from one outer end of said transversely extending member, and said piston rod of said cylinder being connected to said bracket.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising a pair of pointed coil-engaging fingers, means mounting said fingers in vertically disposed relation with respect to a coil to be unwound and the path of strip travel, said mounting means comprising an elongated and transversely disposed member extending across and beyond the path of strip travel, a pair of slides mounted for sliding movement on said transversely disposed member, each of said slides journaling a shaft therein, each of said fingers being rigidly attached one to each of said shafts, a driving motor mounted on each of said slides, said driving motors having their output shafts drivingly coupled with said shafts journalled by said slides, and driving means mounted from said transversely disposed member adjacent each end thereof for said slides for moving the same along said transversely disposed member.

4. A strip processing machine of the type having means for processing metal strip passing therethrough and means to separate the outer end section of metal strip from a coil thereof, said means to separate comprising a coilengaging finger mounted from said machine rearwardly of said means for processing, means to move said finger in a generally vertical direction into and out of contact with a coil, said finger having a pointed end portion and an arcuately contoured coil-engaging surface, the other major surface area of said finger being arcuately con- ;toured and forming guiding means for guiding the ;loosened outer end section of acoil into said means for processing, means mounting said coil-engaging finger for j transverse movement; into eand from a position -ro utward ly iof the path of strip travel 'to a position within the vertical projection of the path of strip travel, said guiding 1 means further comprising a transversely extending guide .1011; iournaledjfor rotation in said machine directly in front 015 said coil-engaging finger said other major surface .ljarea of; said coil-engaging finger and the peripheral sur-.

face ofvsaidguide roll forming a continuous guiding surifacenwhen'said finger is within the vertical projection of ;,the path ofstrip travel, and said guide roll being oper I ative to snag the hooked end portion of the coil of metal .strip'whensaid finger isretracted into said position out- 5. uncoiling station of thetypeadapted to receive ,acoil, thread the end thereof't o a processing machine :and then to pay-off the metal strip comprising a coil saddle adjacentesaid processing machine, means to move coils into said coil saddle, means for rotatahly support- T ;ing'the coils, means to'initially break the outer convolutionof a coil therefrom when the same is supported by said rotatably supporting means, said means to initially breakcomprising a wedge shape coil-engaging finger,

.means"to' prevent springing of said' outer convolution in the wrong direction when the same is broken from. the 1coil,,said;means to prevent springing-comprising a vertically movable roller supported above saidcoil' saddle andisaid rotatably supporting {means to the rear ofsaid coil-engaging? finger; said coil-engagingfinger being mounted; from the rear of-a strip' processing machine, *linkage means supporting said vertically movable-v roller from said processing machine in" overhanging relation 10 with respect to said coil saddle, and power means on said, processing machine, for moving 'said'vertically m ab1e'roller.-' a 1 References Cited in thelfile of this patent Great Britain May- 11, 1936 

